In U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,792 of Calvin L. Miller, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, a power drive assembly is shown wherein the driving member is normally engaged with a rotary driven shaft through a spline connection. A cage is mounted to the housing in alignment with the driven shaft and is rotatably attached thereto so that rotation of the cage slidably moves the driven shaft from an engaged position of the spline connection to a disengaged position thereof. Means are provided for indicating the disposition of the driven shaft in the disengaged arrangement.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,563 of James C. Polak, an external final drive disconnect device is shown for use with a transmission drive assembly permitting field preparation of the vehicle in which the drive assembly is mounted for towing thereof. Means are provided accessible at the hub of the drive wheel for moving the quill shaft sun gear and the internally splined final drive input shaft to a new position so that the final drive input shaft is disconnected from the splined coupling member while permitting the sun gear to remain in mesh with the planet pinions of the drive.
A similar structure is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,504,564 of Nathaniel B. Kell.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,901 of Gary D. Blomstrom et al, which patent is owned by the assignee hereof, a final drive assembly is shown wherein a quill shaft is connected to reduction gearing coupled to a track driving sprocket and means are provided for disconnecting the quill shaft from the reduction gearing or the motor in situations where it is necessary to tow the vehicle with the motor inoperable. Braking means are associated with the input side of the reduction gearing to lock the gearing when the motor is inoperable.